4 Common Medications That Can Kill You

With over 170 million people in the United States taking prescription drug medications daily, over 67,300 Americans overdosed in 2018. Many people don’t realize how even common medications can kill. It doesn’t even have to be prescription medications, as even over-the-counter pills can have serious side effects. 

Prescription drugs are one of the leading causes of death in the United States and Europe. Only heart disease and cancer rank higher.

What common medications that you thought were safe have the potential to be deadly?

#1: NSAIDs

NSAID is an acronym for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Most people don’t think of over-the-counter drugs as dangerous. However, medication like naproxen and ibuprofen can cause serious problems. 

In one case, a woman called Josie was taking naproxen for over a month for knee pain. One day, Josie saw blood in her stool. Soon, she saw a lot of blood and got checked out at the hospital. The doctor diagnosed Josie with stomach ulcers from taking naproxen. Had Josie ignored it, she could have bled to death. 

Most health experts recommend that you only take NSAIDs for a short time, such as one week. 

#2: Insulin

You may have never expected to see insulin on this list. Insulin ranks as the 22nd most prescribed medication in the United States, and doctors write 26 million prescriptions for it each year. 

In one example, a man called Tony had suffered from an upset stomach for a couple of days, and he didn’t eat much. Still, Tony continued to inject himself with insulin to regulate his blood sugar levels. The fourth day came around, and Tony complained of feeling dizzy while walking outside. He fell backward and hit his head on the sidewalk. 

What happened? When Tony stopped eating and continued to take his insulin, it dropped his blood sugar to deadly low levels. He could have died from this condition known as hypoglycemia.

What could Tony have done differently? Tony forgot to monitor his blood sugar levels with his glucometer. Along with that, he should have reduced his insulin intake with his lowered eating levels. Anyone on insulin could make a simple mistake like this. 

#3: Acetaminophen

People are generally aware of the dangers associated with oxycodone, hydrocodone, and similar drugs. These medications send thousands of people to the ER every year. Common complaints include dizziness, constipation, nausea, and breathing problems. In 2018, opioid analgesics accounted for an average of 128 deaths every day. 

Because of the addictive nature of opioids, people shouldn’t take them for longer than a few days. Only in cases where they can’t treat the diagnosis, such as cancer, should a person continue the use of these drugs longer and only for as long as the doctor recommends. 

#4: Epsom Salts

Many people would never think of Epsom Salts, a laxative, as dangerous. Some people dissolve Epsom Salts in bath water to use it as a laxative. Many don’t learn of the potential complications until too late. 

Tricia was one example of someone who used Epsom Salts as a laxative while relaxing in the bathtub. Unfortunately, she used far more than the recommended daily portion of two doses per day. Doubling over from abdominal pain, Tricia was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where they learned that she had ruptured her intestinal wall. Luckily, they diagnosed and treated Tricia early enough, but gastrointestinal perforation has a 30 percent mortality rate.

FDA Approval Isn’t Everything

What does this teach us? Just because the FDA has approved of drugs, whether prescription drugs like opioids or over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen, that doesn’t mean that they are entirely safe. Take as many precautions as possible because even the more common drugs that you’d think of as harmless can cause serious complications. Don’t take more than the recommended dose, and never take any medicine for longer than recommended.